Current Science stimulates Indian interest in LENR

Director P.K.Iyengar initiated cold fusion program at BARC
Director P.K.Iyengar initiated cold fusion program at BARC
Under the direction of P.K.Iyengar, the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) began cold fusion experiments early in the field’s history, finding excess heat, neutron bursts and tritium, among other results, from multiple types of cells.

Dr. Mahadeva Srinivasan, the head of BARC’s Neutron Physics Division and an Associate Director of the Physics Group, performed many of these experiments, and reported on the research in journals and conferences. A survey of the BARC experiments is archived here.

Though successful, the program ended with the retirement of Director Iyengar and Dr. Srinivasan. In a 1994 interview with Russ George, Srinivasan said,

“Dr. Iyengar, who was the moving spirit behind the initial cold fusion program at BARC, moved on to become the chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission. That has had an impact on the other groups involved in cold fusion experiments, though it didn’t bother me. Many of the other groups did not want to risk their careers, and so many of the groups wound down their work. So in terms of numbers of people, we have come down from a level of 50 scientists actively engaged in cold fusion to about 15.”

After that, skeptics managed to end the remaining experiments, until nothing remained. That may be changing now.

The 25 February 2015 issue of the journal Current Science Volume 108 Issue 4 contains a special section on LENR, with a variety of papers from cold fusion researchers around the world. The recognition by the mainstream Indian science journal for the emerging field of new energy marks a turning point for LENR research in India. Mahadeva Srinivasan was a Guest Editor along with LENR theorist Andrew Meulenberg.

Mahadeva Srinivasan says, “I give full credit for the Special Section to Prof. R. Srinivasan, the Editor of Current Science, for it was he who sprung a surprise and asked us whether we would like to guest edit a Special Section!”

Though no comments have been received from mainstream Indian scientists in response to the publication, Dr. Srinivasan believes “there is every reason to be very happy with the outcome.”

“A high level Group has been formed to look into CF/LENR. The first meeting of this group is to be held on 8th April, the day before I leave for Venice [ICCF-19]. The cost of holding this meeting will be borne by a federal Ministry”.

Read Infinite Energy‘s story on the Current Science issue along with an interview with Mahadeva Srinivasan by IE Managing Editor Christy Frazier.

Related Links

BARC Studies in Cold Fusion from lenr-canr.org

ICCF-16 Chennai, India Home

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